


5 Times Kotetsu Didn’t Say I Love You…and the 1 Time He Did

by BlaiddDrwg1982



Category: Tiger and Bunny
Genre: 5+1 Things, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Background Other Heroes, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-03-05 03:54:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13379601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlaiddDrwg1982/pseuds/BlaiddDrwg1982
Summary: “Not that. Not…those words. Please.”There was a faint pleading in his eyes that stung Kotetsu for nary a moment. It took him nearly no time to realize it wasn’t the emotion behind the words Barnaby was protesting, but the words themselves.“Can you tell me why?”Shaking his head, not trusting himself to speak Barnaby relaxed as Kotetsu whispered kisses in his hair and held him tightly.“I could gladly eat your fried rice until the day I die Bunny.”Smiling to himself, he looked deeply in Kotetsu’s eyes.“I love you too Old Man.”





	5 Times Kotetsu Didn’t Say I Love You…and the 1 Time He Did

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CharWright5](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharWright5/gifts), [JaneErikaBrady](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaneErikaBrady/gifts), [paintedrecs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintedrecs/gifts), [mikkimouse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikkimouse/gifts).



> First time doing a 5+1 fic.
> 
> Prequel to [this](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13367775) fic and dedicated to the same people.

5.

_The first time it was spur of the moment._

Stretched out on the sole chair Barnaby kept in the main room of his apartment, Kotetsu looked up into Barnaby’s eyes, licking his lips just slightly, basking in the afterglow of what they had just done. Tracing his fingers softly down Barnaby’s chest as the younger man pulled himself off his lover, before settling right back in his arms, he opened his mouth to accept the gentle kiss Kotetsu offered. Feeling no urgent need to dress, or even move, he allowed himself to be held by his lover, and drift in the blissful aftershocks of their love making.

“That was intense.”

“Mmm. You made me forget I was an old man for a moment Bunny.”

Chuckling, he pressed a kiss to Kotetsu’s chest, inhaling his scent as though it were life itself.

“Bunny.”

“Mmm.”

“I lo-“

Before Kotetsu could finish what he was saying, he found Barnaby’s hand covering his mouth, a look of near panic in his eyes.

“Not that. Not…those words. Please.”

There was a faint pleading in his eyes that stung Kotetsu for nary a moment. It took him nearly no time to realize it wasn’t the emotion behind the words Barnaby was protesting, but the words themselves.

“Can you tell me why?”

Shaking his head, not trusting himself to speak Barnaby relaxed as Kotetsu whispered kisses in his hair and held him tightly.

“I could gladly eat your fried rice until the day I die Bunny.”

Smiling to himself, he looked deeply in Kotetsu’s eyes.

“I love you too Old Man.”

4.

_The second time it was an every day moment._

Kotetsu was running late from his optometrist’s appointment, having FINALLY been convinced to go by Barnaby and Kaede. They’d both gotten sick of him asking what was going on during the movies they had been watching when it was evident he couldn’t see very well. It didn’t seem to affect him when he activated his power, and his suit seemed to help compensate for the vision issues.

But that did nothing to help him when he was trying to watch a movie with his boyfriend and daughter. 

Today was also the day they were supposed to take Kaede shopping for her school supplies for starting the new semester and new subjects. Running across town to get to the mall wasn’t quite what he’d had in mind, but catching Transit didn’t seem to be working and he was having the worst luck finding a cab right now. 

Running through the mall to where Bunny had told him they were, he almost called on his powers to save himself from huffing and puffing from the exertion. Making his way over to the fountain, he smiled when he saw them engaged in some kind of conversation that had them both smiling and laughing. Probably making fun of him if he were being perfectly honest with himself, but that was okay. They were bonding and it was something that made his heart feel light.

Kaede was the first to notice him, and she came bounding over to him to give him a hug. Giving his little girl a tight squeeze, he happily accepted the addition of Barnaby to the group hug, and shared a quick kiss and a smile.

“Daddy. Look what Barnaby bought me.”

Opening the first of many bags that were piled around them she proceeded to show off the various gadgets and books Barnaby had indeed purchased her. Babbling in excitement about how many of the items were the latest and greatest invention that would make her already simple school work and absolute breeze. She was overtly intelligent and made no bones about it.

“I see Kaede. Did you thank him?”

“Of course I did! Gramma raised me better than that.”

There had been a time when those words would have stabbed him deeply, but thanks to the blonde who had his arm wrapped around his waist, and his daughter who was gushing on about how impressed she was about their take down of a rogue NEXT who had taken to melting bank vault doors and stealing what was inside, he was past such sadness.

Looking into Barnaby’s eyes he smiled.

“I…”

Barnaby tensed up.

“…am so glad you look after my daughter as well as you do.”

Barnaby relaxed, kissing Kotetsu a bit more soundly.

“I love you too.”

Kaede merely giggled. 

3\. 

_The third time struck from out of the blue._

Kotetsu sat in the hallway of the hospital wringing his cap between his hands for lack of anything else to do. His brother had taken Kaede back home as it neared midnight and he was left waiting for any news at all.

His mother had collapsed, but this time Kaede wasn’t at home. His brother had stopped by the house to pick up her skates for her to go to practise, but instead found their mother unconscious in the living room. She’d been rushed to the Hospital and Kotetsu made his best time ever returning home.  
The doctors were hopeful, but they always were. It would do them no good to be doom and gloom right off the top.

His only error had been sending his daughter and his brother home, leaving him here to be the silent sentinel.

Smelling a familiar scent, he looked up and saw the dripping wet form of Barnaby, resting his hand on Kotetsu’s shoulder. Sitting silently, he did his best to keep from dripping on him. It was pouring outside. 

Sitting in silence for who knew how long, Barnaby pulled Kotetsu into an embrace in the chairs.

“Whenever someone tells me they love me, they end up leaving me somehow. My parents were murdered when I was a child, and they loved me so much to make our personal information the safety code in their robot programming. So embedded that taking out that code and that program unravels everything. Aunt Samantha loved me, and Maverick had her killed to frame you. Just because of what it would do to me. Maverick, in his way, I think loved me too…and we know how that worked out. I know I deserve love. But I can’t hear those words any more and not expect something…”

Sighing softly, he felt Kotetsu pull him closer.

“You mother told me she loved me for the affect I had on you, and now she’s here.”

Looking up at Barnaby who had tears in his eyes, he couldn’t help but feel his lip quiver in response. 

“You didn’t do this Bunny. The doctor said there is every reason to believe she will be okay. And she was stubborn enough to raise me. Something like this isn’t enough to bring down that woman.”

Sighing softly, he looked at Barnaby’s hands.

“Thank you for trusting me with why though Barnaby. I know it can’t be easy.”

Sitting in silence for a long while, Barnaby looked over at Kotetsu.

“I love you too Kotetsu.”

Kotetsu’s mother was released from the hospital two days later with direction to not push herself so hard in her garden.

2.

_The fourth time was televised._

They had just arrested the low life who had stolen the donations for an animal shelter and were doing a few promotional shots playing with the kittens and puppies at the shelter in costume. Kotetsu found himself buried under half a dozen fuzzy kittens, and was doing everything he could to make sure they were all adequately snuggled. The last time they’d come down and done some promotional shots here, the shelter found themselves in the unique position of having most of their animals adopted within the month. 

It was their way of giving back to the community, but also to satiate their desire to have pets. Dogs were out of the question because they weren’t home enough to keep the dog walked and loved. But a cat? They were a little more independent.

“Barnaby. Look at this little prince.”

He held up a kitten whose markings were similar to his Wild Tiger mask that he wore beneath his helmet.

Affecting a high pitch voice, he spoke from behind the kitten’s head.

“‘Bring me home Mr. Bunny. I promise I won’t destroy all your furniture.’”

Laughing a bit more than he expected, Bunny sat on the ground beside his boyfriend and sighed a resigned sigh. There was something about the look of happiness in his love’s eyes that he knew he couldn’t say no to this time.

“Fine. But if he pees on anything, you have to share your pillow with him.”

Looking a little shocked, he was quite pleased with himself. Puffing up his chest a little, he looks at Bunny, forgetting that the cameras were there.

“You can never say no to me can you.”

Barnaby rolled his eyes and kissed Wild Tiger quite soundly.

“I love you too.”

Ratings went through the roof.

1.

_The fifth time was remarkably sober, even for a Christmas party._

The decorations were garish. The music was terrible. The sweaters were tacky.

It was perfect.

The first and second league heroes mingled in Kotetsu’s apartment, enjoying their much deserved time off and taking full advantage of the fact the city was quiet for the holidays. The fried rice was, as always, a hit. The beverages were flowing and they were just enjoying time together.

Most of them anyway.

Barnaby sat on the edge of Kotetsu’s bed, gripping the mattress in a way that was the exact opposite to how he normally gripped it. There was no panting or gasping, or sounds of their skin moving against each other. No sweet nothings whispered that meant everything and nothing to them both.   
Instead, it was Barnaby trying to work through his anxiety of the season, and Kotetsu kneeling in front of him, trying to calm him down. They were safe. Nothing was going to happen with an entire apartment full of Heroes. Even if Rock Bison were half in the bag. 

Resting his hands comfortingly on Barnaby’s lap, he leaned up and pressed a kiss that was more passion and tongue than one would generally expect when trying to break someone out of their anxiety spiral. Barnaby’s body though reacted on impulse, opening his mouth to take Kotetsu’s kiss, and answer it back with one of his own. Moaning at the sudden affection, he had to file that away to ask Kotetsu to do more often. 

Opening his eyes, he found himself in a much improved mode, the anxiety having faded to a dull roar.

“How did you know…”

“It was a guess.”

Smirking, he nodded. He wouldn’t be surprised if his boyfriend had been reading up on how to help people with anxiety get through their issues. Letting himself get peppered with kisses, he felt something pawing at his hand. Little Tiger, as they had named the kitten, was looking up at his second owner, mewing softly, trying to cheer him up. Scratching between the cat’s ears, he felt himself relax.

“Move in with me.”

Barnaby did a double take. Kotetsu was still on his knees on the ground, but he had a black box open with a keychain, and the key to his apartment.

“I know it isn’t as fancy or as nice as your apartment. But there’s room here. With me. You spend a lot of your time here with me and Little Tiger and…”

Barnaby silenced him with a kiss.

“Yes. I would love to move in here with you.”

It was true. The space wasn’t as high tech as his apartment. It wasn’t as fancy. It was worn in though. It felt like a home should. Like what he thought he’d lost when he was a child. Taking the key and key chain, he placed them in his pocket.

“What’s the second one for?”

“You have the key to my apartment…and the key to my heart.”

Feeling his face soften, he smiled.

“I love you too you goof.”

+1

_And the One Time He Did_

Both of their powers had activated evacuating the last of the people from the building that was coming down around them. The rest of the Heroes were making sure the building was secured before they could move. 

Holding up the load bearing portion of the building was hard work, and they each had less than 90 seconds left on their timers. Listening carefully to the ticks that were counting down, Kotetsu peer through the broken shards of Barnaby’s mask, his own being blown to dust long ago. 

“Everyone’s clear except us. Outside is just through that wall. If we go quickly enough we may have a second to spare.”

“I’m not leaving with out you. You did this once before with the H-01. I’m not leaving without you Kotetsu.”

“Who said anything about leaving without me. I’m going to beat your through that wall.”

60 seconds.

“Are we ready for Kaede and my Mom’s visit next week?”

“You’re asking about this now?”

“It just came to me.”

“Yes. We’re ready. Just the groceries that Blue Rose said she’d help us pick up.”

“She still hasn’t figured it out?”

“Not yet. She didn’t see the episode when we picked up Little Tiger so…”

Barnaby actually chuckled, despite the pressing weight down on his arms.

15 seconds.

“Barnaby?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

Feeling the blood drain from his face, he didn’t have time to react to Kotetsu literally throwing him through the wall and outside to safety. In slow motion, he watched as the building came down around the person he loved more than anything else. The last thing he saw was the sad and apologetic eyes, knowing that the three words he longed to say to Barnaby were tainted with the pain of loss, and today wouldn’t do anything to help it.

Landing in the dirt, staring in shock as the dust settled, the world had become oddly silent as he watched his friends dive back into the rubble to try and rescue his better half. 

Sitting numbly as he was checked out by the ambulance, he hears Sky High holler that he can see Kotetsu. Closing his eyes to the image of what can only be a destroyed body, he finds himself being pulled up and towards the rubble. Watching as they uncover Kotetsu’s body, he dropped to his knees in relief when he sees the other man’s chest rise and fall, then rise and fall again. 

Looking down, and remembering the echo of what should have been Kotetsu’s last words, he whispered below his breath.

“Don’t leave me.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy. Please. Share the story if you did. Comments are always appreciated.


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